Combustion flask for liquid oxidants and fuels



' R. H. CANFIELD COMBUSTION FLASK FOR LIQUID OXIDANTS AND FUELS FiledDec. 16, 1944 2 snEts-sneet 1 INVENTOR ROBERT H. CANF/ELD ATTORNEY y1960 R. H. CANFIELD 2,938,343

COMBUSTION FLASK FOR LIQUID OXIDANTS AND FUELS Filed Dec. 16, 1944 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR RCBERT H. GANF/ELD BY W ATTORNEY United StatesPatent 6 r 2,938,343 COMBUSTION FLASK- FOR LIQUID OXIDANTS Robert H.Canfield, Newport, R.I., assignor to the United States of America asrepresented by the Secretary of the'Navy i Filed Dec". 16, 1944, Se!-No. 568,528

11 Claims. c1; fill-39.46) (Granted under Title 35, U.s. Code 1952),sec. 266) V 100,686, now Patent 2,746,249 file'd jointly with Francis R.Bichowsky under date of September 14, 1936, entitled CombustionApparatus and Method.

Another important object of this invention is to provide an improvedcombustion flask particularly adapted for use in conjunction withthecombustion cycle disclosed in the aforementioned copending application.

A further object is to provide such an improved com,- bustion flaskhaving its parts so arranged that the comburents are preheated prior totheir final admission to the combustion space, and so designed that allparts are effectively protected against the development of temperatureswhich might damage the apparatus.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent upon consideration of thepresent disclosure in its entirety.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a substantially diametric longitudinal sectional view of acombustion flask incorporating the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof; and

, Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on t the line 33of-Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings, reference character 1 designates theflask body, which may be cast of heatresistant metal or other suitablematerial in substantially cylindrical form, and which is provided at itsoutlet end with a domed cover 2. Projecting inwardly from thesubstantially cylindrical interior surface of the flask body is acontinuous helical rib 3 of relatively high pitch which assists inpositioning and fits tightly against the outer liner sleeve 5. Sleeve 5forms a spaced inner wall and is longitudinally held between the cover 2and the opposite closed end of the body, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.This arrangement will be seen to provide a helical passageway 4 betweenthe outer wall of flask 1 and the sleeve 5 the interior of whichconstitutes the combustion chamber C. Communicating with one end of suchpassageway is an inlet nipple 7 constituting a mixing chamber in which aconfluence of a decomposable comburent occurs, threaded into a boss 8,while the other end of the passageway communicates with the interior ofsleeve 5 through slots 9, a plurality of which are peripherally providedin the end of the sleeve, as also shown in Fig. l.

Axially positioned within the sleeve 5 is an innerliner or burner tube10, secured to the inlet endof the flask body 1 by screws 12 extendingthrough the end boss 14.

ice

The flask 1, sleeve 5 and tube10 comprise an assembly of outer,intermediate and inner cylinders. Boss 14 also supports the fuel nozzle15, projecting therethrough in axial positionanddischarginglongitudinally into the assembly in suchmanner as toproject the-fuel through the burner tube into the core of the combustionchamber. The burner tube is also exteriorly provided with a helical rib17 ofa relatively lower pitch than that of the rib 3, which assists insupporting and centering it within the sleeve 5 and provides apassageway 6 constituting a continuation of the passageway 4, with whichit communicates through the slots 9 as previously indicated. 7 Thehelical ribs of two pitches whirl themixture at progressively higherrates, The mouth of the burner tube 10 is belled as indicated at 11, therim of the bell being of somewhat lesser diameter than the internaldiameter of the sleeve 5, to provide an annular passage 13 therearoundof restricted cross section.

Formed longitudinally in and for a substantial part of the length of theburnertube near the discharge end thereof are a plurality ofslots 20,cut entirely through its wall, each slot being inclined or non-radialwith respect to the axis in such manner as'to lie on or tangent to aspiral described about such axis, as indicated in Fig.

.3, and extending inwardly in the direction of flow through the helicalpassageG. Each slot is provided with an outer edge 20a disposedrelativeyto the direction of flow, indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3,. toserve as a scoop and direct lighter gasified components of thesubstances flowing through passage 6 into the burner tube through aslot. The restriction at 13 tends'to maintain aback pressure inpassagewayd such thatthe expansion therein will assure movement of thegas into the slots 20; while heavier decomponents, which may includeanyremaining liquid, are sprayed through passage 13 andinto the form ofan envelope of the liquid along the inner. wall of sleeve, 5, enteringthe combustionwspace C where they are ignited by the burning fuel.

Nipple 7 is provided with two inletportions, one comprising the sprayholder 22 threaded into its end and provided with a whirl-type jetassembly 24 to which connection is adapted to be made at the coupling 23and the other comprising lateral inlet coupling 25, which provides foradmission of fluid material in .a manner to insure its intimateadmixture with the material entering through jet 24. As disclosedin theaforementioned copending application, one of these materials may be aninitially liquid substance such as H 0 adapted to decompose ,to provideoxygen to support combustion. This material may be introduced at 25,oxygen evolving there from as it advances through the helical passages4, 6. Another liquid, comprising a catalyst .such as sodium permanganatein a liquid solution adapted to promote the decomposition of thehydrogen peroxide, may be introduced through the coupling 23; Suchdecomposition is also assisted by the heat absorbed from the combustionchamber.

The fuel is preferably also introduced through a whirltype nozzle 30.Provision is made for igniting the fuel in the conventional manner, anigniter holder 33 being provided adjacent the fuel nozzle andcommunicating interiorly with an annular chamber 34 surrounding suchnozzle and also discharging into the interior of the burner tube 10, asshown. The holder 33 is adapted to support an igniter 50 which may be ofthe usual or any desired form.

In advancing through the passages 4, 6, the hydrogen peroxide ispreheated and largely decomposed, and some or all of the water resultingfrom such decomposition is vaporized. This results in absorption oflarge quantities of heat from the walls of the burner tube 10'and othercomponents within the flask imparting a strong cooling r 3 l. r actionand tending topreve'rit overheating of any part of the assembly. 7

The products of combustion are delivered to the engine or otherpropelling means (unshown) through a dry pipe, or'other meansj(alsounshown) attached tothedischarge coupling boss 3'5. 1 g V I Theinvention herein described may bemanufactured and used'by or for' theGovernment of the UnitedStat'es of America for governmental purposeswithout thepayment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

I claim: 1 j a l. A combustion device-of the-character describedcomprising a casing,- burner-means' comprising a tube within the casing,said tube at its'one end abutting .the interior of said casing, and theother .end thereofprojecting and opening into the interior'of thecasing; fuel feeding means discharging longitudinally into that'end ofsaid tube which abuts 1 the casing,-;means=for feeding comburent'material tothe cas'ing, means forming a helical passage cir cumscribingsaid-timb fonfeeding' such cornburent material longitudinally within thecasing while imparting to said material a rotation -substantially aboutthe axis of said tube, andmeans defining inwardly directed'passagesinnerends of said' passages; opening near the freeend of said tubewhereby said comburent material may be'mixed with the fuel and burningmay occur in the vicinity of the mouth of said tube. I I

2. A combustiondevi'ce of the. character described comprising asubstantially-cylindrical elongated casing, at

least apart-of said casing beihg- -double walled, burner meanscomprisinga tube-within said casing, said tube at said double walls ofithe casing,a helically arranged guide wall within said space forminga passagewayextending around and longitudinally of but spaced from said tube,

for imparting rotation to suchmaterial while conducting itlongitudinally of the casing, additional helically arranged guide wallmeans between said tube and inner wall forming a continuation of thefirstmentioned passage- .Way and connectedlthereto by-openings in saidinner wall, the continuation passageway discharging into the interior ofthe casing adjacent the open end'of said tube.

to which said material is delivered while in rotation, the

3. A combustion device as set forth in claim Zincluding scoopmeans-carried-by the-tube near itsopen'end,

said scoop means being connected at their outer ends to saidcontinuation passageway and at their inner ends to the space within saidtube, whereby lighter components of the; comburent material travelingthrough said continuation passageway-may be directed into said tubewhile heavier components-are discharged from the passageway adjacent themouth of the tube.

4.,A combustion device of the character described comprising an outerflask, burner means'including-a wall spacedly mounted within said flask,means for introduc ing a comburent material into the space between saidflask and ,wall, means defining a-generally helical passagewayi-mpartingrotation to such material while conducting it lengthwisethrough said space, means defining a continuation passageway alsoof-helical form and serially..connectedatothe first menti'onedpassageway and extending counter to-and arranged -'within' the same, andburner means including jet-type fuel feeding means discharging-into thespace bounded by said last mentioned j passageway and directedlongitudinally of i the assembly in the direction of advanc'e ofsaid-last mentioned passageway, said passageway discharging into a zoneof combustion ofafuel projected by 'saidfeeding'means and said comburentmaterial beingad'aptedto be preheated insaid passageways.

end of the second mentioned passageway for directing a part of saidcomburent material into said zone and for simultaneously directingheavier components of said material longitudinally in. the"form of afilm surrounding an zone. a

"6. -A motive fluid-generator iiomprising "a flask, means for injectingand igniting a fuel at one end of the flask to 'i-mpelavolume of hot gastothejother 'end andterminal'of the flask, means. for. producing,aconfluence into the flask of a mixture of an oxygen-carryingliquid:and a catalyst for the immediate promotionofdecornposition of saidliquid, means initially separating said mixture from said volume'of 1gas butdiverting a light constituent of the decomposition to supportthecombustion of the fuel, and constricted'means through which a heavyconstituent of the decomposition is injected into the terminal volumeof'gas tocornplete the motive fluid and at the same timemaintain abackpressure to force'the foregoing diversion of said light constituent.

7. A combustion device of the character described comprising-an outer'flask,'ineans defining a combustion chamber within said flask,burnermeans' including fuel feeding means opening into the combustionchamber,

means for feeding comburent material into said flask, means forimparting rotation to such'materi'alwhile it isp'assing through saidouter'flask before it enters said chamber, and means providingcommunicationbetween said fl ask' and chamber whereby therotatingcomburent 'materi'al may enter the combustion chamber afterpassing through said flask, said last named'means including centrifugalseparating means arranged to direct lighter components of saidcomburentmaterial inwardly into said combustion chamber and to direct heaviercomponents thereof longitudinally in the form of a film at leastpartially surrounding said chamber.

' :8. A combustion device of thecharacter described 'and -throughandinto said tube near its free end whereby sucharna'terialmaycombine'with'the fuel and burning may take place within saidcasingin' the vicinity of the mount of said tube, and centrifugalseparating means connected to said means for feeding additionalcomburent material, said centrifugal separating means discharginglighter components inwardly in a direction to mix with'the burning fuel,and discharging heavier'components longitudinally in the form of a layersurroundingatileast a part of the burning zone.

-'-9. A- motive fluid generator comprising; a mixing chamber adapted toreceive a confluenceof oxygen carrying liquid and a catalyst forpromoting decomposition of said liquid, an assembly comprising outer,inner and'in- "termediate substantially concentric cylinders disposed inspaced relation to provide a first annular space between the outer: andintermediate cylinders and a second annular space between theintermediateand-innencylinders, ther pace within theinhencylindeifforming a burneif chamber and communicating at oneend-thereof -'with'- a -combustion chamber; wall meanswithin the firstannular space forming a first helical: passageway there- '-in,-wallrneans within the second annular "space forming a second helicabpassageway therein; means communicating ad acent 'ends'of' the first andsecond passageways, means [communicating the mixing chamber and firstpas- 5 In combination with means as set forth in claim 4', centrifugalseparating means appurtenant the disch-argc adapted to discharge fuelinto the burner chamber.

10. A motive fluid generator comprising; a mixing chamber adapted toreceive a confluence of an oxygen carrying liquid and a catalyst forpromoting decomposition of said liquid, means for receiving theconfluent mixture and whirling same at progressively higher rates tothereby separate the decomponents, a burner chamber, a combustionchamber communicating with the burner chamber and with the means forwhirling the mixture, means for injecting fuel into the burner chamber,and means for delivering separated decomponents respectively into theburner chamber and into an envelope form within the combustion chamber.

11. In a motive fluid generator, an inner cylinder having aperturesthrough the wall thereof, the space within the inner cylinder forming aburner chamber, a concentric outer cylinder disposed in spaced relationaround the inner cylinder, means providing a helical passageway betweenthe cylinders, means for delivering oxygen carrying liquid to saidpassageway, a combustion chamber communicating with one end of theburner chamber, an annular space communicating one end ofthe helicalpassageway with the combustion chamber constructed to restrict flow ofheavier constituents of liquid escaping therethrough and effecting aback pressure within the helical passageway to thereby force lighterconstituents inwardly through said apertures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,325,618 Lyshohn Aug. 3,1943

FOREIGN PATENTS 271,706 Great Britain May 26, 1927 279,197 Great BritainOct. 27, 1927 539,069 Great Britain Aug. 27, 1941

